The Greater Threat
by sharky-clarky
Summary: One year after the Great Thaw, and Anna is finally marrying Kristoff. But when a forest fire keeps him from their wedding, what other mysteries might unfold. How long can you keep the darkness away? Can Queen Elsa along with the help of a Scottish princess, a Viking, a strange singing girl and an invisible man save Arendelle from the greater threat. (ROTBFTG fic)
1. The frozen hand

Arendelle was happy. Over a year had pasted since the great freeze that plunged the kingdom into an eternal winter, an entire year since one brave soul, ventured up the mountain to save what all thought lost. One year, since Queen Elsa of Arendelle's reign began.

She was a beautiful Queen, still so young and youthful, just turned 19. Her hair, they say, is woven from the first snow that covers the meadows in the winter, her light blue eyes, carved from the ice that freezes the fountains, lakes and ponds. Her skin's as pale as snow, yet shines like the sun and her laugh rings like the jingle of icicles clinking together on the trees.

But with great beauty comes great consequence. The Queen was born and raised like any other, but with a burden she was forced to bare, too young for such responsibility. The power to freeze whatever she touched, unable to hold a sisters hand, to feel a parents embrace, not the slightest touch came without the fear. And so her isolation began, over a decade without physical contact, with no one except the servants and her parents for company, and even that came to a close.

How long can you hide away? How long until something smokes you out like a rat in a fire? How long can you remain a child? For Queen Elsa, this was never long enough. The night her parents died was all too clear. Sat alone, surrounded by her crystalline prison, frozen by her own fear and sorrow. Her sister arrived at some point; she could hear her sobs through the door.

_We only have each other_

_It's just you and me_

_What are we gunna do?_

_Do you wanna build a snowman?_

Never had she wanted to hold her sister so much, to cradle her strawberry blonde head in her lap, comfort her like a sister should, to whisper that she wasn't alone. _Yes I want to build a snowman._ she would have said. But Anna was always alone.

Elsa had not only doomed herself to a childhood of loneliness, but her sister too. No princess should be locked away, trapped in the confined corridors of a castle, no one but herself for company. It's no wonder she jumped at the first chance to connect with someone, to find that bond only to be shared between two people, the bond Elsa could never find.

* * *

One year by and nothing had changed, yet at the same time, everything had changed. Arendelle was under the rule of Queen Elsa, her sister, Anna, by her side, along with Anna's boyfriend, Kristoff. They worked together, lived together, laughed together. Every day went by and they grew closer, Elsa, though still guarded, let her own gates open, showing for once what she was feeling. Her mantra, no more than a distant memory.

It stayed this way until the day Kristoff proposed to Anna. She agreed, of course, and Elsa gave them her blessing, but still she felt her sister slipping from her grasp, falling through her fingers like the melting snow of spring. The days went by ad Elsa closed up more and more, her powers slipping and stumbling around her, people walking on egg shells, terrified of what might be lurking beneath her royal surface.

And so the day of the Wedding arrived. Elsa was in the throne room, not sat at the throne, that still remained her fathers, his portrait unmoved from where it had been four years ago. Elsa instead was pacing, a letter in one hand and she ran her pale fingers through her icy hair with the other.

"Elsa!" she heard and jumped at the sound of her sister lurking in the doorway wearing what looked like her night gown. "I've been looking for you" she said with a smile Elsa tried to return sincerely, and by the way Anna's eyes brightened, it had worked. _Conceal don't feel. You're not losing her, not again. _This was her mantra now, a reminder that Anna was still her sister, that she didn't have to be alone again.

"Anna" Elsa replied with a nod "Shouldn't you be getting ready? The wedding is in" glancing at the grandfather clock, "Six hours"

Anna gave a shy smile towards her sister. She'd noticed how Elsa was closing up again, shutting her self away. People barely saw her any more, only for formal duties and meetings she couldn't send her advisor to. She smiled again, a nostalgic smile to the Elsa she had been not long ago, the real Elsa, not this one, the one that hid away from her. Her thoughts returned to the night her parents died, how Elsa's absence at the funeral went far from unnoticed. Only one child stood by the parent's grave, only one pair of crying blue eyes. She remembered sitting outside her sister's door, begging to be let in, for the first time in what felt like forever she thought Elsa might open up.

_Elsa._

_Please, I know you're in there_

_People are asking where you've been_

_They say have courage and I'm trying to_

_I'm right out here for you_

_Just let me in. _she thought before replying, watching how the beautiful aqua eyes were blocked and guarded again. "I was hoping you'd help me" Anna said, wringing her hands in front of her, her eyes cast downwards, towards the perfect marble floor.

Elsa opened her mouth to reply, to tell her sister she was too busy to help, but Anna cut her off.

"Hey, what's that?" she said pointing towards the letter Elsa was currently clutching to her chest, the parchment like page with the broken red seal of a sun.

"A letter" Elsa replied smoothly, not wanting to get Anna too excited.

"Who from?" she replied, too excitedly and too quickly for Elsa's liking. Before she could even respond Anna grabbed the letter from Elsa's hand, not noticing how Elsa flinched away before their fingers brushed, or the ice crystallized on the sides of the paper where Elsa had held it.

"Dear Queen Elsa of Arendelle" Anna began, "I am pleased to inform you that me and my husband shall be attending you sisters wedding and we thank you graciously for the invite." Elsa tried not to look at the bright, excited smile growing on Anna's face. "We shall hope to be sharing accommodation with you for the week we stay after the ceremony to both embrace a different kingdom, and also celebrate your paper coronation."

Anna stopped then, gazing up at Elsa with wide, expectant eyes, her mouth forming the perfect 'O' of either surprise or excitement Elsa couldn't tell, but is she knew her sister, it was both. "With regards, Princess Rapunzel and Prince Eugene of Corona." Suddenly Anna burst out laughing, causing Elsa to stare at her dubiously. "please tell me you read the last bit?" Anna said between gasps.

After she'd laughed herself out and still received nothing but a confused expression from her sister, Anna held the letter out, wiping a tear from her eye from laughing. Looking over it, Elsa saw nothing out of the ordinary. The page was crisp and immaculate, the writing a cursive, tidy script, a body of flowers and vines flowing around the page. It was only after Anna, still teary eyed and giggly, pointed it out did Elsa notice the messy scrawl at the bottom of the letter cramped into a space that curved around the corner of the page.

_Sorry about the broken seal,_

_Mother wouldn't let me write my own reply, so I stole hers before it was sent. _

_Hello Queen Elsa, I'm Rapunzel._

_I wanted to let you know I can't wait until the wedding! _

_and I can't wait to stay with you._

_Did you know that we're cousins? I didn't. Mother just told me._

_I've never had a cousin before, how do you talk to cousins?_

_Oh no, the messenger's noticed the letters missing, I can't wait to see you, _

_We'll be there on the day of the ceremony nice and early! _

_Rapunzel. _

"Somehow I see the two of you getting along just fine" Elsa said with a smile at Anna, who smiled back brightly.

"A cousin, Elsa!" she exclaimed "We have cousin, and she'll be here any moment" a scared look suddenly passed Anna's face. "She'll be here any moment" she looked at Elsa with wide eyes, seeming to hope she shared the fear "I'm not dressed" and then she was gone, running out of the room and – surprisingly for Anna – only tripping twice. With a roll of her eyes, Elsa followed, walking out of the throne room. She stopped in the door way before taking one last look at her father. _Conceal, don't feel, don't let it show. _She thought to herself, curtseying to who Elsa believe to be the true ruler of Arendelle, even in death.

"I wish you could see her today, father." Elsa said to the portrait, the one of him at his own coronation. "She's all grown up" and with that Elsa left, ready to great the first guests from over seas, not noticing how the throne room began to chill, everything freezing, everything except her fathers portrait.

* * *

The ball room was filled with people, some from Arendelle, some not, all dressed in their finest awaiting the wedding to begin. Elsa was stood in front of the throne, gazing over the crowd to make sure everyone was settling. The wedding didn't start for anther two hours yet, and Anna was nowhere to be seen, neither was Kristoff.

Some royals of other lands came by and made their acquaintance with the Queen, bowing and curtseying when appropriate, no one touching her. She watched in content as everyone danced around the floor, their feet barely touching the ground as they danced, their smiling faces in every line of sight, their laughter almost drowning out the music.

It was only because of this routine every one was trapped in that Elsa noticed the commotion by the door. Lifting her line of sight ever so slightly she could see that it was someone trying to make their way through the crowd of people, a girl by the looks of it, with a man following on behind her.

Noticing the people were coming towards her, Elsa suddenly became very interested in her ice dress, or her snowflake decorated hair, or her crown.

"Omff" she heard a feminine voice say. Looking down the steps she saw a girl, about her age stumbling to her feet, she looked up at Elsa while rubbing her now banged head with wide green eyes filled with excitement. Her hair was a dark brown and crudely cut, a choppy and interesting look for someone in a royal ball room. She wore a pink dress that stopped above her ankles revealing her bare feet. The dress had three quarter length sleeves and a lavender lace trim around the neck line, cuffs and bottom. The corset was tied with lavender lace.

"I'm' sorry Queen Elsa" the girl bumbled, curtseying from the bottom step. Elsa nodded in the girl's direction, keeping her gloved hands clasped in front of her.

"Jeez Blondie" Elsa heard a male voice say as a man dressed very formally in a suit came tumbling through the crowd, a tiara in one hand, a chameleon in the other "Take the frog back" he said, holding the chameleon towards the girl.

"Pascal's a chameleon, and he doesn't appreciate you're mistake." She said with a huff, crossing her arms across her chest as Pascal crawled onto her shoulder, giving the man what looked like a death glare. Whether a chameleon could give a 'death glare' Elsa didn't know.

"Well sorry" he said, placing the tiara on the girls head "I won't make it again" he kissed her lightly on the cheek and she could suppress her smile. Suddenly everything clicked for Elsa, the strange girl, the man, the tiara. The lost princess.

"You must be Rapunzel" Elsa said in her soft, regal tone. The girl blushed and the man smiled.

"Yes your majesty" she said, curtseying again before elbowing the man in the ribs, gaining her an evil glare and pout from the man.

"And I am Prince Eugene, your majesty" he said, making a point to glare at Rapunzel.

"It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance." Elsa said, giving both Eugene and Rapunzel a nod in response. "Anna will surely want to meet you" she said with a light smile, wanting this conversation more than ever to end. She could feel the fabric of her gloves chilling already where her hands lay clasped in front of her. "I'll have Suzanne show you to hers, then to your own, room"

With a quick wave of her hand, a woman dressed in a floor length black dress with an apron, her greying hair in a bun and her brown eyes bored and irritated. "Suzanne, please show Prince Eugene and Princess Rapunzel to Anna's room and then to a guest room if you'll please" the woman nodded before curtseying towards Rapunzel who waved at her, a goofy smile lighting up her delicate features.

Once they were gone, Elsa returned to watching the ball room, her blue eyes trying to stay open despite the desperate lack of sleep. Every night Elsa would wake up, her breathing ragged and her room covered with ice. She didn't tell anyone of course; just let it be, why worry poor Anna when she has so much stress at the moment._ Conceal. Don't feel., Don't let them know. _

The grandfather clock chimed and Elsa looked towards the large wooden ornament to see it striking one. The wedding was to start in just under half an hour. Taking a deep breath, Elsa addressed the ballroom.

"Ladies and gentlemen." She said her regal and kind smile plastered across her face like the impenetrable mask she had created it to be. "If you would please make your way towards the cathedral, the Wedding of Anna and Kristoff shall be beginning shortly." With one last smile, Elsa descended the three steps in front of the ballrooms throne. The guest followed her as she left, not one of them noticing the icy footprints the queen left behind or the frosted handprint left on the window behind where the queen has been standing.


	2. Ignis

The girl was lying in the barn, the way she always did in the early morning. Nothing but the sound of her own breathing, birds tweeting and animals eating their food. She could feel the straw scratching the back of her neck from where she was lying, could smell how the air was filled with a scent that just screamed 'living creatures'. She loved it, this was where she belonged.

Sitting up, she felt her long black hair fall to just below her shoulders, tickling the tiny bit of bare skin it could find while being tied in a high ponytail. With a chuckle she blew a stray piece of raven air away from her face.

"Ignis?" she heard a voice calling her, a female voice, not very old either. "Ignis, are you in here again?" looking up, Ignis saw the voices owner, a girl only a few months older than her, her blue eyes shinning, her blonde hair golden in the shafts of sunlight. "Honestly Ignis, you spend anymore time with these animals, mother will think you've become one" the older girl said with a wink.

She extended her hand towards Ignis, who stood up on her own, ignoring the girls offer.

"She's not my mother" Ignis said, her voice calm as she picked straw from her gloves and dress. "Besides" she continued "She's the one who told me to get more fresh air" she said raising an eyebrow at the other girl who laughed.

"She's the closest any of us have, or ever will have to one" the girl retorted, her blue eyes challenging. "And this air is hardly fresh."

"Did you need me for something Penny?" Ignis finally asked, making a show of picking straw from her raven hair.

"Yes actually." She said matter of factly "There's a guest here and I was told to make sure you looked presentable for them" Ignis groaned.

"I am presentable." She said gesturing to her long black dress, ripped and burnt in places, patched up in others that stopped just above the ankles revealing her laced up leather boots. Her apron was a murky, off-white colour, stained here and there with soot and something unpleasant and brown. Her gloves were worn and ripped, but patched up as well as Ignis could handle.

Ignis was an orphan, like almost all the other children at Northweather farm. The farmer, Christopher and his wife Atama were a bizarrely warm hearted couple, with one child, Cameron who was 19 and enough foster children to fill the rest of their twelve bed-roomed farm house, the ages ranging from 11 to 18.

"That won't work this time missy" Penny said, putting a clean, yet calloused hand on her hip. She was unusually dress up, contrasting greatly with the clutter of the barn. She wore a long, pink gown with a white laced corset front atop a puffy white blouse. Her hair was pulled into a neat and tidy updo, a pink ribbon holding it all in place. Penny was, in a word, beautiful. Her skin was slightly tanned, her eyes big and bright like the sky, her cheeks tinted the perfect rose colour, her hair shining like woven gold.

Ignis wasn't an ugly girl, the opposite in fact, she was just different. She was slim, like Penny and only a few inches shorter, but where Penny's hair shone like the sun in the middle of summer, Ignis's was as black as a starless night. Where Penny's eyes were beautiful and blue, Ignis's were orange, not hazel or brown like a normal persons, orange. It unnerved people, she knew that, mixed with the dark hair and pale skin Ignis was a much desired taste, and no amount of dresses, pretty hair or makeup would fix that.

"I don't get a say do I?" Ignis asked, rubbing her eyes with a gloved hand.

"Nope" and with that last word, Ignis found herself saying before she was trapped in a red corset dress, her black hair pulled into a sophisticated bun with a red ribbon wrapped around it so it hung down, tickling the bar skin of her neck, a few curling tendrils framing either side of her face perfectly.

"Who even is this guest?" She asked slightly breathlessly from the corset, after Penny had finished tormenting her with powder and what looked like battle paint and they had finally made it to the front door.

"I wish I knew" Penny said with her light, excited tone. When the two girls reached the yard, Ignis saw it wasn't just her that was forced into this mess; another three girls ranging from 15 to 18 were standing in the cobbled yard in formal line.

Madeline was the oldest of the girls there in a dark blue dress with long sleeves that fanned out at the elbows, she was a podgy little thing with a pig nose and muddy brown eyes, but her heart was the lightest and most golden thing Ignis had ever experienced. It was insane how such a traumatized girl could give so much love to everyone. Her parents abandoned her here as a child, no one knew why or who they even were, Atama named and raised her for the last 18 years, not even Ignis had been here that long.

The next along was Rosalie. She was as beautiful as Penny with her blonde hair and blue eyes and a few months younger, only just turned 17, but personality wise they were as different as chalk and cheese. Where Penny was a bright and smiley person, Rosalie would welcome you with a scowl or maybe no recognition at all if you were Ignis. The two of them had never got along; Rosalie loved attention where as Ignis hated it, yet it was Ignis who people would comment on. 'Who's the one with the strange eyes Atama?' they'd ask. 'Parents died in a fire? Poor soul'. Rosalie was found in the dark streets of Arendelle just over a year ago, got in with a bad crowd and sold herself before she knew what she was worth. In Ignis's eyes that wasn't a lot.

Finally was little Elizabeth. She was tiny little thing, barely five feet tall. She had bright green eyes and a mass of red hair that was currently braided down one shoulder like how the Queen wore hers. Elizabeth was 15 and idolised Queen Elsa. She was everything Elizabeth ever wanted to be, beautiful, intelligent and admired. She was wearing a long green dress with a brown belt around her waist. Lizzie was a quiet girl, kept to herself mostly, tending the flowers or something else like that, never talking too anyone. She'd only been here a few months after running away from home, no one knew why.

"Great" said an annoyingly high pitched voice "not only are the letting the whale join in" Rosalie said pointing to Madeline with her lacy white fan, Madeline flinched away from it like it had teeth "But the freak as well"

"Don't you have better things to do, Rosalie?" Penny asked in her scary calm voice. The one that was served with a bright smile and a hidden slap of venom.

"Apparently not" she said with a sneer, and then went back to fanning herself.

"My girls!" said an excited voice from the front door. Turning around, Ignis saw Atama waddling across the yard, husband and son in tow. She was wearing the same canary yellow dress she wore for every occasion. She had a flimsy grey, moth eaten, shall wrapped around her shoulders and a hanker chief in her hand she kept dabbing her eyes with. Atama was a large woman with greying brown hair and soft grey eyes, the eyes of a mother, and she was a mother to so many children, but not Ignis. Ignis had no mother anymore, and she never said otherwise. "You all look so beautiful" she blubbered.

"Not all of us" Rosalie's snide voice hissed in Ignis's ear.

"Don't you have a street corner to get to" Ignis snapped at her, her orange eyes blazing like a forest fire. After an offended gasp, Rosalie opened her mouth to retort back, but was cut off by the sound of hooves on the cobblestones. Every head turned to the gate where a white stallion flew through, stopping directly in front of Christopher who, much to Ignis's amusement lost his balance.

There was a collective gasp from everyone but Ignis when the rider dismounted. Standing in the summer sunlight was man, maybe in his early twenties with an overly proud and pompous expression and an overly groomed hairstyle with the thickest sideburns Ignis had ever seen…ever.

With a nod at Atama and Christopher, ignoring Cameron all together, he walked towards Madeline. She didn't move, just stood like a startled deer. The man bowed and it took Madeline a moment before she curtseyed in return. He then grabbed her hand, placed a quick kiss on her knuckles and moved on. Elizabeth had very much the same reaction, Rosalie gave a seductive smile from behind her fan, followed by a giggle as he kissed her hand, followed by a 'beat that'' glare in Ignis's direction when he moved on to Penny.

When the man finally reached Ignis he smiled at her, she did nothing, she didn't know who this man was, and she didn't care, all she wanted was to go back into the barn and lie down. He bowed and Ignis did nothing, only gave him a sceptical look causing him to clear his throat before rising again to stand over her. They stayed this way, his eyes trying to bore into hers; the green of his iris's challenging the orange of hers. Finally he reached for her hand, to kiss it like the other girls, only for her to pull it away, hiding both of her gloved hands behind her back. He gave her one last approving look before walking towards the farm house door, followed closely by Christopher and Atama.

"Oh my" Penny said "that was him, actually him" Ignis gave her a confused look and after noticing every other girl was swooning, looked to Cameron, who looked as though he wanted to hit the man with a white hot poker as much as Ignis did.

"Prince Hans, of the Southern Isles." Cam said in his low voice, his grey eyes narrowed before softening when he looked at Ignis. Before Ignis could ask anymore, the door opened once gain to reveal Prince Hans with a weeping Atama behind him. He shook hands with Christopher, kissed Atama's hand and gave brief, curt nod to Cameron before mounting his horse and riding back out the gate. Not a word, not a glance, nothing, so why were all the girls so excited and - girly.

"Oh Ignis" Atama said, weeping back into her hanker chief that now looked like a sodden rag "We're so proud of you" she said with a teary eyes smile. Their was a collective gasp from the other girls and shocked, almost hurt look from Cameron, but Ignis was too confused to notice, she didn't even notice how Cameron's face fell just the slightest bit, his eyes looking down at the dusty floor.

"Why? What have I done?" she asked but before any one could answer, Rosalie spoke up.

"Her!" she exclaimed in her shrill voice "The prince chose her!"

"Chose me for what?" Ignis pressed again.

"To be his wife" Cameron spat in a bitter tone, his voice dark, his eyes shadowed by his dusty blonde hair.

"His what?" Ignis shouted

"You're going to be a princess, Ignis" Atama said with a choked sob. Christopher patted her shoulder gently, giving a warning look in his only son's direction.

"Now, now Cameron, no need for hostility" His father said "he chose lovely Ignis for a reason and we are very happy for her."

"Yes, I'm thrilled, look at how I fail to contain my joy" Cameron half shouted at his father, his fist clenched at his sides, his grey eyes dark and angry,

"I don't want to be his wife" Ignis spat, the other girls had gone back inside, Rosalie to sulk, Madeline to read and Elizabeth to tend to the flowers, only Penny remained.

"You don't get a choice Ignis" Penny said, reaching as though to touch the hysterical girl, only for Ignis to flinch away.

"Yes I do"

"No you don't" this came from everyone, Penny sounding insulted, Atama still teary, Christopher annoyed and Cameron sounded almost sad.

"Why not?" she asked, looking around at every face, hoping for someone to jump out and yell 'April fools' even though it was summer.

"You just don't" Christopher said. "Prince Hans chose you as his wife, and his wife you shall be" he said with a voice bristling finality.

"I can't marry a man I just met" Ignis said like it was the most obvious thing in the world, her voice growing angrier the more she tried to choke back tears.

"You can and you will." Christopher's voice boomed through the farm, rattling the windows and scaring any animal within a mile radius. Any of the other girls would have given in, any of the others would have stepped down, but Ignis was always different, Ignis was the freak.

"No I won't!" she shouted back. She gathered the skirts of her red dress and bolted towards the barn, not caring about the mud she was covering a dark boots in, before anyone could stop her. She could hear voices behind her but she didn't care. No one married a man they just met, royalty or not, it was ridiculous. You married for love, and love was something Ignis hadn't believed in since the day her parents died when she was six.

She reached the barn and slammed the door, fisting her pale, gloved hands in her fancy hair before letting out a frustrated scream into the empty barn. It was almost noon; the animals would be out in the field by now, leaving Ignis to her thoughts. That at least was the plan.

"Why do you always have to be difficult?" came an exhausted voice from the doorway. Christopher stood, taking up most of the doorframe with his large body; his braces were off his shoulders, hanging instead by his legs. His white shirt still tucked into his brown trousers. "When ever you're given something, you turn it down. Why Ignis?"

"I'm not marrying him" she said defiantly. Christopher glared at her in return.

"Yes you are" he said, stalking towards her, his bulky form shadowing hers, dwarfing her in size. "And you're going to enjoy it" Ignis made to bolt for the door, her hand reaching forward to shove the wood hard enough to open, but Christopher's large fist closed around her wrist, holding it tight enough to trap her but not hurt her. "Why can't you be a normal girl Ignis?" He said patronisingly. "A girl who wears dresses all summer, not gloves" he said, pulling the tattered mass from Ignis's hand like they were the only reason she was different.

"No!" she screamed, wrenching her self free from his grasp, cradling her now naked hand to her chest like it was a child.

"Ignis, please, don't do this" he said, walking towards the girl with the terrified orange eyes. He reached towards her gently, like a father trying to comfort a scared child and even though Ignis was nearly 18 and not his daughter that was the scenario.

"Don't touch me!" she screamed at him. This had been long enough for the others to enter the barn, Atama, Cameron, Penny and even Rosalie had come down now to see what was unfolding.

"Ignis" Christopher said, is voice sounding pained. "I'm not going to hurt you." Christopher was a demanding man, always wanting to be in control, to get the best for every child he cared for, even if the actions were disastrous, his heart was always in the right place. He placed a comforting hand on Ignis's shoulder, touching the only bit of bare skin available, only to recoil with a yelp of pain. Looking down he saw his hand was red, burned by the mere contact with Ignis's skin.

"I told you not to touch me" she said with a sad, terrified voice.

"I always told you she was a freak" Rosalie's nasally voice shimmed in. this set every one off, five voices all saying different things.

"It's for your own good Ignis" Atama's voice said.

"Why can't you be grateful? Every girl dreams of this" Penny said angrily.

"You don't have to do this Ignis" this was Cameron.

"Once a freak, forever a freak" Rosalie hissed.

"You will marry that man" said Christopher's booming voice.

It was all too much, Ignis pushed her now bare hands against her ears, desperate to shut out the noise, her mind was burning, her vision blurred. She could see it all again. A house in a village, a woman with blonde hair looking down at her with wide blue eyes, a man by her side with green eyes and brown hair, the same worried expression.

_"She's a monster"_ the woman said and the man nodded in agreement. It was just a blur of images after that. A metal bathtub, running water, flames, a winking silver blade, sad blue eyes, flames. Nothing but flames engulfing everything, destroying everything in its path. The way it burnt her parents bodies without touching hers, the way their screams filled her ears, the scent of burning flesh in her nose, and she remained untouched, nothing more than a terrified child. There was another scream, a younger, louder scream. A child. It was a boy, a boy with blue eyes and brown hair, his body turning to ash before Ignis's peculiar eyes.

"NO!" Ignis screamed, falling to her knee's, clutching her head in her hands, listening to the screams as the barn went up in flames.


	3. Waking up

Ignis was in the woods that surround the kingdom of Arendelle. The barn went up in flames and she didn't know what to do. The screams were echoing in her ears, the same words over and over. _Monster._ Penny had screamed first, she knew that much, Cameron screamed last, his pained grey eyes looking at her the entire time. other had entered the barn, seeing what all the trouble she ran, she ran so far, and here she was, standing in a clearing in a forest she was so unfamiliar with, yet despite herself, she began to sing.

_The fire glows red a__nd everyone's dead._

_Not a body to be seen_

_A kingdom of ash and cinders_

_And it looks like I'm the queen. _

She couldn't help but laugh. Ignis, the girl who'd lived in rags since the day she was born, Queen of anything? The irony was unbelievable.

_The fires roaring like this furnace that's inside_

_Couldn't keep it in_

_Hell knows I tried. _

She looked at her pale hands, the destruction hidden within their delicate depths. How long had she been hiding this away? How many more had to die until she finally realised she was doomed. Was one family not enough? Had to go for another.

_Don't' let them in, don't let them see_

_Be the good girl, you always had to be_

_Conceal, don't feel, don't let them learn. _

_Well now they've learned._

Ignis was sick of hiding, too long she'd been in the dark, trying to hide the inferno within, but a fire burns twice as bright when it's dark, and she was ready to let it out, to be free, to finally see what she could do.

_Let 'em burn, let 'em burn_

_They're no longer my concern _

_Let 'em burn, let 'em burn_

_Time to show the world it's my turn._

Ignis was not hiding anymore; she flew her hand out left and right, marvelling at the flames sprouting from her fingertips, the delicate, destructive patterns forming in the air before bursting into clouds of smoke. She pushed her hands together, willing for something beautiful. When she flew them out a bird made of nothing but flames flew into the sky, its wings beating like a roaring fire, its call the most beautiful sound, music to Ignis's ears. She watched at it flew into the sky, disappearing from view, nothing but a cloud of smoke to prove it was ever present.

_I don't care how they're going to scream_

_Let 'em burn, let 'em burn_

_The flames never seemed to bother me_

She kept walking, her footsteps lighter than they had been in years. The echoing sound of screams in her mind covered by the melodic crackle of burning wood, the sizzle of wet grass as the flames licked it. The beautiful world she was creating for herself and not a single burn on her skin.

_Its funny how inferno makes everything look bright_

_And the fears that once controlled me set everything alight_

She danced and laughed as she twirled the beautiful torrent of flames following her every footstep. Every twist, every turn, her footsteps singed the grass since her shoes were long forgotten, her dress was burnt at the bottom but she barely noticed.

_It's time to see what I can do_

_To test the limits and break through_

_No right, no wrong, when it's only me_

_I'm free._

The entire clearing was in flames, the heat radiating off of them barely reaching her skin. Never in her life had she felt this free. No one to care about hurting, no one to protect from her secret, they were all gone, but the relief fuelling her body like the fire in her blood was just enough to out weigh the grief.

_Let 'em burn, let 'em burn_

_See my fire across the sky_

_Let 'em burn, let 'em burn_

_Like a rocket I can fly_

The blue sky was barely visible through the thick cloud of black smoke covering the woods like a blanket. The air was thick with it, the choking black smog, yet Ignis could breathe more than she had been able to in years. Every lungful was a drug to her, she couldn't get enough; every bitter mouthful fell sweet on her tongue.

_I won't care how they're going to scream _

_Let the fire rage on_

She was high with her own power, any rational thought floating away on the black cloud that continued to loom over the forest like a shadow. The mass threatening to float its way towards the kingdom of Arendelle should the wind so choose.

_My power surges through the air and all around_

_My souls the engine that will burn this world down to the ground _

_And one move sparks ignition of my vengeful wrath._

She was never going to hide again; everyday of her life for the past decade had been a lie. She was Ignis, the orphaned girl living on a farm, forever known as the freak. Not any more. Now she was Ignis, the girl with the fire. She could burn the world down if she so chose to, she could kill every living soul and still have a hunger for more. And the worst part of her plan was that there was no one who could stop her.

_I'm never going back_

_The futures all I have_

She grabbed at her hair, her fiery fingers ripping away at the black up do, burning the red ribbon to ash, letting her raven hair fall down her neck, to below her shoulder blades. She waved her hands across her dress, flicking her wrist upwards, smiling as the unflattering red dress began to smoke, burning away with the very force of her will.

_Let 'em burn, let 'em burn_

_Raining down Armageddon_

Her skirts were burning with sickening smell like burnt rubber, but still she smiled, twirling softly as the fire reached her abdomen. The continued rising, engulfing what was left of Penny's dress, the only memory of that girl who she knew as her sister turning to ash at her own hand, the way Penny's body had as she mouthed the words. _Monster._

_Let 'em burn, let 'em burn_

_Their precious world is gone!_

_Here I stand in the light of day_

_Let the fire rage on_

_The flames never bothered me anyway._

Ignis stood, surrounded by fire, the Dress Penny had forced her into was nothing but ashes at her feet. In its place was the most beautiful dress Ignis ever had, and ever would wear. It reached the floor and was ever changing colour, one moment orange, then red, the next yellow. Ever shifting and pulsating like the flames that caused it. The sleeves were a thin veil of fiery lace, the flames flickering below her shoulder. The material was white hot to the touch, almost as if the dress was made of flames, tight at the waist before fanning out slightly like a beautifully elegant ball gown, the ruffles flickering like a bonfire with every step Ignis took in her fiery paradise. The bodice glistened like a thousand red and orange stars, swirling together in an intricate yet beautiful pattern. Her feet remained bare beneath the dress, her pale skin rubbing delicately against the singed grass.

She continued to smile, gazing lovingly at her fiery wonderland. The entire clearing was burning, the smoke swirling and twisting in the air like a beautiful dance, not an ugly black cloud. Ignis barely noticed the intense heat radiating from the trees as the forest fire blazed on. She was too captivated by her own abilities to even notice the extent of her damage.

She didn't even notice the blonde man running towards her through the flames until he'd scooped her up and began carrying her away from her sanctuary of fire and flames. She struggled and kicked, flaring her limbs like a trapped animal. Finally she broke free, taking off towards the beautiful flames as they called out to her with their crackling melody. She felt something heavy smack into her back, knocking her face first in the forest floor. The last thing Ignis saw was a pair of light brown eyes sparkling through the orange and red of the flames until it all went black.

* * *

"Anna will you please calm down" Rapunzel said. She was sat in the princess's room with Eugene holding onto her hand, Queen Elsa stood by the door and a distraught princess pacing the room, her beautiful snowy white gown bunched in her hands.

"How can he not be there?" the princess said, her voice thick and choked, like she was holding back the tears threatening to fall. "Maybe he doesn't want to marry me" She said, her hands covering her mouth "Or maybe he's hurt of worse maybe he's-"

"Anna, please" Elsa said, cutting her sister off mid sentence. "Kristoff will be here any minute, I'm sure there is an explanation. Anna, teary eyed, opened her mouth to retort, that was until there was a loud crash heard from outside the window. Anna ran over first, her eager blue eyes staring for any sign that Kristoff was there.

"He's here" Anna shouted, she bunched up her white skirts in her hands before running out of the room, not giving anyone a chance to stop her. After a shocked silence the others followed.

* * *

When Elsa reached the courtyard the crowd instantly parted, making a pathway directly to the large reindeer. Kristoff had already dismounted Sven and stood with his back to the Queen.

"Where have you been" Elsa addressed him with her professional regal tone. Kristoff slowly turned around and Elsa took in his appearance. His hat was long gone, his blonde hair dirty and matted with soot and dirt. His white shirt was filthy, smudged and ripped in places, burnt in others and his trousers weren't in much better condition. But this wasn't what caught Elsa's eye.

In Kristoff's arms was a girl, a girl no older than Anna with filthy black hair, her pale face smudged with soot and ash.

"I found her in the forest, there's a fire up there, and she was just standing there. I couldn't leave her your majesty" Kristoff said, trying to adapt his voice for the sake of those around him. Every one knew that Kristoff was the prince to be, but Elsa still required a certain form of respect, if the villagers saw how Elsa and Kristoff spoke to each other it wouldn't end well.

"Fire?" Elsa asked her voice confused and slightly wary. Kristoff nodded in response, he seemed to keep nudging the unconscious girl in his arms, checking every few seconds that she was still alive. "Barnabas" she said, addressing the man next to her dressed in the Arendelle castle guard robes. "Get your best men to the forest, stop that fire" he nodded and bowed and was off, grabbing men in uniforms and pointing to the thick cloud of smoke rising over the castle.

"Kristoff!" Anna's voice came thundering through the crowd of formally dress guests at the same time her body did. She came to a halt, breathing heavily in front of him. Her eyes were wide and scared as she looked at the unconscious girl wearing the soot covered black dress. "Oh my" she said, covering her mouth with her hands as she looked form the girl to Kristoff.

"Anna" Elsa said, her business like tone fuelling her voice "Help Kristoff find a room and put this girl in there" Anna didn't move, just stared at the raven haired girl and Kristoff's soot covered face. "Now, please" with that Anna snapped back, she grabbed as much of her wedding skirts as she could and took off back  
into the castle, Kristoff hot on heels. "if everyone would like to return to the great hall" Elsa began, her voice void of any of the emotions running through her mind, the fear, the worry, the sadness, as she addressed her guests "Refreshments shall be served, but for now the wedding is postponed." With one last bow to her guests Elsa took off into the castle herself, following the trail of soot and ash to find where Kristoff had taken the girl.

* * *

"She's waking up" a voice said, a female voice. Ignis ached every where, she felt as though she'd been hit with a carriage, her head screamed in protest at the slightest of movements and she couldn't help feeling, cold. Ignis had never been cold in her entire life, so why now?

"Shhhh. She took quite a blow to the head" said a masculine voice, though its tone was softened by worry and something more, admiration maybe?

"Poor wee lamb" said what Ignis thought was a feminine voice, a feminine voice masked heavily with a Scottish accent.

"Shut up Merida" said another female voice, a soft and gentle one.

Cautious to the voices bubbling around her head, she let her eyes flutter open. The harsh light hit her first, blinding her momentarily before subsiding, leaving her vision spotted with pinks and baby blues.

When her sight was finally back to normal she saw the owners of the voices. She was lying on a bed in and incredibly luxurious room, far bigger than her singed one at the farm with the cracked ceiling and broken window latch. The walls were white with a curving pattern in blues and greens, the curtains a thick royal blue. The bed had four posters ad Ignis appeared to be lying atop the covers wearing her normal black dress, fresh with a layer of thick black soot.

"How're you feeling?" said a voice, a masculine one. Turning to the owner, Ignis caught the light brown eyes of a blonde man. He was strongly built and covered with soot the same as she probably was. His clothing was unrecognisable beneath the black layer but Ignis could see his large hand wrapped up safely in the hands of the girl next to him.

She was smaller than him, with large blue eyes open wide and curious as they looked at Ignis, no doubt at her bizarre eyes. She had a heart shaped, freckled face with rosy cheeks, her strawberry blonde hair pulled into a neat, sophisticated up-do, a tiara sat on her head with a white, glossy veil hanging down her back.

"Where am I?" Ignis asked, she saw how the strawberry blonde girl was wearing a crisp white wedding dress, a sparkling diamond ring on her finger.

"Arendelle castle" the girl in the wedding dress said, stepping forwards away from the blonde man. She had the air of a cautious person, someone who was used to being delicate with people. She walked slowly, keeping a safe distance from the bed Ignis sat on, propped up on her elbows. "I'm Princess Anna" she said lightly with a soft smile, and noticing the shocked expression on Ignis's face decided to elaborate. "My fiancé, Kristoff" she said indicating to the large man with the sooty face "found you in the forest fire and brought you here"

"T'was quite a fire too" said the girl with the thick Scottish accent. Turning her head to see better, Ignis caught the light blue eyes of a girl with a large ginger mane of curly hair. She smiled, a bow and quiver strapped to her back, contrasting greatly with the light blue dress she wore with the golden belt. "What?" she said, looking at every pair of eyes that was on her with a confused expression "It was"

"Ignore Merida, she's Scottish" said an unusually chirpy girl with a crudely done brown hair cut that looked like it was cut by a knife wielding child, rewarding her with a huff from Merida. "I'm Rapunzel" she said extending a slim, pale hand towards Ignis, her big green eyes glowing in anticipations.

"Nice to meet you" Ignis said, ignoring Rapunzel's extended hand. The green eyed girl looked crest fallen for a second, and then went back to her chirpy self. Ignis's had never felt so conscious about her appearance before in her life. Here she was, lying on a beautifully made castle bed, in a castle bedroom in dirty, pauper clothes and covered in soot, her beautiful fire gown nothing but a memory. where had it gone? and why was this dress her default? The fact that every pair of eyes was on her at this moment was in no way helping.

She could feel the weight of everyone's gaze, how their eyes glistened with anticipation and curiosity, every one of them blissfully ignorant to what she was hiding. Everything began to reform again, like she was seeing the image through a haze of smoke. She could see silhouettes, one a large man, one a girl. The next had more people, some girls, some boys, there was a scream, a scream more animal than human, it grew, louder and louder, followed by the flames, always the flames.

"Oh my god" said one of the girls, Rapunzel, she was pointing with wide eyes to Ignis's hand. Everyone else including Ignis followed her gaze and caught sight of the small fire licking at the floral bedding. It was only at that moment Ignis realised she wasn't wearing her gloves.

She flew from the bed, grasping her naked hands to her chest, as close as she could get them. She looked at every one, and every looked at her. some of them looked at the singed handprint left behind, but the gaze always returned to her. Merida looked curious, edging closer to see more, Kristoff looked confused like Rapunzel, and Anna looked wary. Then it hit her. Anna was the princess, sister to the Queen, the Queen who could control Ice. This was far from new to her.

"Get out now" Ignis said too the occupants of the room. She could feel her hands warming the way they always did when she was loosing control, the tingling, pins and needles sensation she'd kept hidden for so long. "I said leave"

No body moved, not even Ignis, they all just stared.

"Anna" Rapunzel said, placing a hand on the girls shoulder, Anna didn't react. "Maybe you should go get Queen Elsa" Anna nodded and left the room, as swift as a bird, only stumbling once. "Kristoff, why don't you go with her" Kristoff, who still looked confused, followed the princess with one last glance at Ignis, and then he too was gone.

"Rapunzel" the Scottish girl, Merida said, walking slowly towards the girl with brown hair. "What do you propose we do?" Rapunzel looked scared for a while, like the sheer thought of being in charge right now terrified her. Rapunzel looked like someone who hadn't been in control all their life, and now she was forced to be. Like a rabbit caught in the lantern light.

"Tell the servants she's awake, and to run a bath." Rapunzel said, almost thinking if her words made sense before she'd said them.

"A bath?" Merida exclaimed "Of all the bizarre things you come out with Punzie, this tops the list" but the red head left any way, leaving just Ignis and Rapunzel in the room.

"Why don't you tell me your name" Rapunzel said, gently walking towards Ignis who proceeded to edge closer too the balcony.

"That's none of your business", Ignis hissed, but Rapunzel didn't flinch.

"Well where are you from?" Ignis froze. Where was she from? Did she even belong anywhere? The only places she could ever have called home burnt to the ground. Burnt to the ground at her hand.

"I'm not from anywhere" Ignis replied. She hit the window of the balcony with her back, the cold glass chilling against her skin, but she remained hot, the furnace inside screaming to be set free, to be let go.

"What's going on here?" said a cold, regal voice from the open door. Turning around, Rapunzel and Ignis met the beautiful, icy blue eyes of Queen Elsa.

"She won't tell me anything Queen Elsa" Rapunzel said, but Elsa ignored her, her chilling eyes looking no where but where Ignis stood against the window.

"I'm the Queen, and she is a guest in this castle, she will talk to me" Elsa looked on edge. Her eyes telling the story her voice and body didn't. She was scared, scared, confused and worried. Ignis was good at reading people, extraordinarily well in fact, and the Queen was more of an open book than she probably would have liked.

"I want to leave" Ignis said, wincing at how much like a child she sounded. Seeing the Queen reminded Ignis of Elizabeth. Elizabeth who never said more than two words to anyone, with her big green eyes and red hair in a side braid. She remembered Elizabeth running into the barn when Penny screamed. Her hair was down, her eyes wide, but she didn't look scared. Ignis ran then, she didn't know who else ran down after that, she didn't know who made it out either. "Please" she said, and for the first time in years, Ignis felt tears pricking the backs of her eyes.

She saw Cameron, the boy who was nothing but kind to Ignis since the day she arrived at the farm when she was six years old, six years old and terrified of herself. The boy who followed her into the orchard to make sure she was okay, the boy who would push a tray of bread and cheese under her door when she locked her self away for days on end. He was always there for her, and now he'd never be there again, his grey eyes were just a memory to her now.

"Rapunzel, go to the ballroom, tell everyone the wedding will go ahead." With a confused glanced at Anna and Kristoff who had arrived behind the Queen, Rapunzel left the room, her bare feet rustling against the royal carpet. "Anna, Kristoff, go and get cleaned up, your wedding is to be at sunset."

Anna went towards her sister, but a grab on the elbow from Kristoff told her other wise. With a crest fallen look on her face, Anna left the room, followed by Kristoff, leaving the ice Queen alone with the fire starter.

"Why don't you start by telling me your name" Elsa said, trying to shake off the feeling that there was someone watching her. This girl looked frightened, like she wanted to be anywhere but here. "I want to help you, I can't do that if you shut me out" Elsa fought the urge too cringe away from the irony in her own words. Hadn't shutting people out been her solution, hadn't she done everything in her power to avoid her sister.

"Ignis" she said, receiving a disbelieving look from the queen.

"Very well then, Ignis, how long have you had your gift?"

"Gift?" Ignis half shouted, astounded at how the Queen, of all people could call it that. "This is no gift. Forgive me your majesty, your powers are very much a beautiful gift, but to have nothing but destruction at your fingertips, that's not a gift" Ignis was lost, she was floating away, her rational thought nothing but smoke, sifting through her fingers whenever she got within grabbing reach. She didn't know who she was anymore; she didn't know what she was. Only one thing was clear. "I'm a monster"

Elsa didn't know what to say. All her life she thought she'd been alone. No one else like her, unique. Sure she'd been raised to keep her own life a secret, but now she was free form her curse, free to embrace the beauty of it. How was she to explain this to somebody else?

"Do you have any family, Ignis?" Elsa asked, trying to be tentative with the fire starter

"Not anymore" she said, and Elsa heart reached out for her. It was one thing to venture through this hell, another thing entirely to do so alone.

"It's late" Elsa said, looking at the sun setting behind the cloud of smoke from Ignis's forest fire. "The servants shall bring you a bath, then I suggest a good night's sleep, I'll see what I can do for you in the morning"

Ignis nodded but didn't move. Elsa, feeling she'd done all she could, left, leaving Ignis alone again, the way she always wanted. How far she'd come in just one day. From a barn to a castle, from a lonely farm orphan to the fiancé of a prince. Where was prince Hans now, did he have any idea where his princess was, what would he do when he found out.

At some point during her musings a servant woman with greying hair tied in a bun and kind blue eyes came in. she bathed Ignis, washing the soot and dirt from her hair and face. She gave her a towel to dry off and left with Ignis's only dress, leaving a crisp white night gown and a pair of white gloves in its place. Throwing on the royal material as carelessly as someone could, singing some one the edges, creating a burning, comforting smell. Ignis climbed into the four poster bed ad closed her eyes.

With one last image of flames and sad grey eyes, she finally fell into a fit full sleep, not noticing the freezing gust of wind that blew through the bedside window as it pushed itself open

* * *

**Oooo! who's opening the window?**

**find out by reading on ;)**

**Review!**


	4. The Boy In The Ashes

**Please Reveiw. **

**I know my updates are a bit, wibbly, but my exams start in six days so I've been a tad preoccupied.**

**please reveiw though!**

* * *

Once again he was sat outside the queen's window, hovering atop his staff as he watched the beautiful girl asleep in her frozen room. Every night he came here, every night he watched over her, marvelling at the beautiful shapes that formed in the golden sand above her head, protecting her from the monsters lurking in teh shadows.

Tonight the sand showed a snowman, a snowman that walked, holding his little stick arms out for hugs. He'd seen the snowman in the castle, asking for warm hugs from anyone he came across. He truly was a funny little thing, a testimony to the beauty and magic of the Queens power, a beauty she still failed to see, even now.

He had watched over since the day she was born, curious as to how someone so human could a have gift so like his own. He watched her now, her platinum blonde hair was down, not locked in it's snowy braid as it fanned across her pillow. Her eyes were closed, her porcelain white face peaceful in her sleep. That was until the sand turned black.

This was also a nightly occurrence, her dreams turning to nightmares as everything she loved froze. All the while he sat there, just a wall away, helpless on his floating staff as she tossed and turned in her bed. The image tonight was different, this time he saw fire in the black sand, not ice, he saw anther girl, not the Queen standing amongst the destruction, nothing but glee on her face.

"How hard it must be Jack" said a chilling voice from the balcony. Turing his head, Jack caught sight of the one person he didn't ever want to see near the Queen. Pitch Black. "To love someone who doesn't even believe in you" he said patronisingly. "Such a pity" the mockery in Pitch's voice was obvious, the merry dance burning in his golden eyes as he watched the pain on Jacks face.

"Get away from her" Jack said, floating down so they both stood facing each other on the balcony.

"Why should I?" pitch taunted at the white haired boy, his grey skin eerie looking in the shadows. "In case I kidnap her to use as a companion?" he said raising an eyebrow, Jack looked taken aback for a second, scared even. He could remember the day he tried coaxing Jack to his side, to have him aid him in the fight for the dark. Nothing goes better together than dark and cold. how foolish Pitch had been. he saw the real prize now, it was just a matter of collecting it, a plan that he laready had set in motion. "Please, I have bigger fish to fry" he said waving a dismissive hand.

"Just stay away from her Pitch" Jack said through gritted teeth.

"My, my" Pitch said in a faux parent voice "Young Jack is becoming hostile" he laughed at the look on Jacks face. "Like I said Jack, I have bigger fish to fry" he waved a slim, grey hand in the air and the black sand peeled away from Elsa's dream, forming the skeletal horse of a night mare at the end of her bed. The horse trotted over to Pitch who petted it affectionately, unaffected by its gruesome appearance. "Happy?" he asked sarcastically.

"Not yet" Jack replied, raising his staff so it pointed at Pitch. He got nothing but an eye roll and a clucking tongue in response.

"When will you listen, Jack" he said "I have no interest in your precious Snow Queen" he half spat the word in Jack's face. "Your love is safe enough, for now"

"I want her safe forever" he growled.

"Such a selfish request" Pitch shot back, his yellow eyes glistening in the dim moonlight. "But, should you play nice, I may be able to arrange it" he said thoughtfully.

"What do you want?" Jack asked, his mind already wary of the answer he might receive. None of his fellow guardians knew of Pitch's return, that was the deal for Elsa's life, it was something else now to keep her safe and out of harms way.

"Not what, my dear boy" pitch said with an evil smile "But who"

* * *

Prince Hans saw the hovering cloud of smoke before the farm was in sight. It was sat there, innocent and content, a looming black cloud, evidence of what he'd believed. Snapping the reins on his horse he galloped closer, the vibration of the horse hooves on the cobblestones beating like the anticipating pulse of his heart, this was one task for the prince where failure wasnt an option.

The gate to Northweather farm was open; the stench of ash and fire filled the prince's nostrils before he'd even crossed the threshold. The closer he got, the stronger the scent became.

It was barely morning, the sun only trying to rise fully, bleeding some light through the pink and orange clouds, yet there were girls of all ages racing across the farm yard, buckets in one hand, skirts in the other. Clearing his throat, Prince Hans dismounted his stallion and ran to the nearest girl.

"Excuse me?" he said in his faux innocent voice, holding out a hand to get the girls attention. She didn't look very old, barely a teenager with long brown hair peeping out beneath a bonnet, her hands and clothes were black with soot, her chocolate eyes wide and scared. "Can you tell me what happened here?" the prince made a big show of looking concerned, constantly looking around, even placing a hand on the girls shoulder when he saw her bottom lip begin to quiver.

"P-Prince Hans" the girl said, curtseying her way from under his arm "there was an incident in the barn"

"What kind of incident" the prince responded, making a convincing show of being worried, his eyes roaming the soot covered farm yard for a glance of the barn.

"A fire sir" she said, her voice thick with unshed tears.

"Where are you parents?" he asked again, looking the girl in the eye, his emerald green boring into her tear filled brown ones. "Atama and Christopher, where are they?"

If possible the girl cried more, letting the fat tears fall down her red cheeks, her hands stifling the sobs that were forcing their way out of her mouth.

"Joshua pulled them from the wreckage last night sir" she said, her head indicating to a boy, no older than 16, perched on the banister running the perimeter of the porch. His face was pale beneath a mop of greasy black hair, his eyes hidden beneath the shadow.

The girl covered her face in her hands, falling to her knees on the cobblestones of Northweather's farm yard. Prince Hans patted the girl gently on the shoulder, trying to convey some sense of sympathy. "No one's seen Ignis either" the girl said, her voice muffled by her hands.

"What did you say child?" Prince Hans asked, his voice harsher than intended, his eyes burning with a hidden frustration.

"Your fiancé sir" the girl replied "She was in the barn, no one saw her come out" Hans froze, his jaw tensed.

"What of the son?" he said through clenched teeth, his voice betraying his caring armour. When the girl questioned him, he grabbed her by the upper arm, wrenching her to her feet. Her sharp intake of breath was enough to show her fear, how he loved the sound of fear. "I said what of the son?"

"Gone sir, no one's seen him either, any of them who were in the barn are dead" she said choking on the last word, trying feebly to retract her skinny, child's arms from his vice-like grip.

"No survivors?" he hissed at her, his face mere centimetres from hers, the question sounding more like a threat. "No sir" the girl squeaked "None" he threw her arm away from himself, none too gently before stalking towards the next closest girl, this one he recognised. "You girl" he said pointing at the red headed girl closer to forest the surrounded the farm. She turned around, her green eyes regarding him with disappointment above everything else. He didn't notice. "How many deaths?" he asked bluntly, not caring at all for a sympathetic façade anymore.

"Eight, sir" the girl said, curtseying slightly. "The farmer and his wife included" if the prince was surprised by this girls lack of sorrow it didn't show.

"And their son?" he asked through gritted teeth, the mere thought of the blonde hair boy making his blood warm.

"Included, sir" she replied.

"Right" he said his voice only vaguely hiding his glee. "I shall fetch helpers from the nearest village, I wont be long" and with that he jumped on his horse and galloped out of the farm yard and into the forest path beyond.

He was gone in such a rush he didn't notice the anger in the girls eyes as she rose from her curtsey, he didn't notice how she remained void of any dirt, or soot. Most of all, he didn't notice how she retreated into the trees, the branches bent in ways to allow her entry as she supported a weak and stumbling figure deeper into the woods, towards Arendelle.

* * *

Rapunzel was up early, the way she always was, and dressed before Eugene even knew it was morning, the bright yellow sunlight shining through the curtains she threw open. She smiled at him as she brushed her choppy hair. She'd explained everything to him right after she'd told all the guests the wedding would be happening at sunset.

Eugene who had seen more than his fair share of magic seemed un-phased; it was only after telling him that this strange girl with the orange eyes was staying the room opposite his that he began to worry.

She smiled at the memory of Anna's wedding, her dress was beautiful, she was beautiful and when she and Kristoff danced, it was clear they were supposed to be together. And for the first time in forever Anna seemed happy.

_Flower gleam and glow_

_Let your power shine_

Rapunzel began to sing to herself, the hand holding the brush instinctively moving further than it was supposed to. Rapunzel had bee without her long and magical hair for over four years now, and she still wasn't used to it. She wasn't used to waking up every morning and not be in her tower, she still dazzled her to wake up and see a tiara sitting on her dressing table next to her.

_Make the clock reverse_

_Bring back what once was mine_

Her eye involuntarily fluttered closed, images behind her eyes flashing with a shimmer of gold as she sang the song she'd been raised to love. She could see the tower, the room covered in her paintings, each one hiding the hidden message, the message she was too naïve to notice.

_Heal what has been hurt_

_Change the fates design_

The images flashed back to the day she met Eugene, or Flynn Ride, as he went by. She remembered thinking he was a cannibal, or a barbarian. He showed her the world outside of her tower, he gave her what no one else could, he became her new dream, and she could never thank him enough.

_Save what has been lost_

_Bring back what once was mine_

Her eye flashed open at the last image, the one of her leaning over Eugene's body, the day she was granted her freedom, the day Eugene's heart stopped beating, the day, that only for a second, her entire world fell apart. Gazing at her reflection now she was terrified, she didn't see herself with the choppy brown locks, a castle bedroom behind her. Instead she saw the old her, with the glowing blonde hair, the tower behind her and worst of all, Mother Gothel by her side.

She squeezed her eyes shut, willing the image to disappear, to be gone from her memory, and when she opened her eyes again she was back to normal. She only saw the faintest trickle of gold leaving her eyes, making them green again before she finally calmed down.

She never told anyone her power was still there, that it was more than just the hair that was magical, it was her. She could still heal at the sound of a song, could still turn back time, and it terrified her. The night she'd saved Eugene was far from a one off, she'd done it countless time since, only in emergencies though. Once, after a battle, she'd snuck down to the infirmary and healed all the men she could as they slept, the castle called it a miracle and all of Corona blessed the princess for the good luck she'd brought back to the kingdom, none of them knowing what she still kept hidden inside.

"Jeez Blondie" she heard from behind and smiled. "Can't you just lie in for once" he croaked, his voice thick and heavy from sleep, but still Eugene.

"I have to go and see Anna" Rapunzel shrieked happily, adjusting her tiara so it sat perfectly on her head, the jewels sparkling in the sunlight. Pascal was sat on the dressing table, eyeing the tiara sceptically; he still seemed to think she was wearing it wrong. "And Merida, and Elsa and-"

"Quiet down" Eugene said, cutting her off as she shoved his head back under his pillow.

"Fine then" she said with a huff of faux annoyance "I'll go and see them by myself" and with that she strutted out of their room with her head held high, trying not to smile when she heard Eugene's bubbling laugh echo out of the room behind her.

* * *

"Morning all" came Kristoff's voice as he entered the large dining hall with the long oak table long enough to seat over twenty people. The one that was currently seating three. Merida sat in a dark green dress, her bow over her shoulder, and her face inches from her bowel of porridge as she shovelled the cereal into her mouth. It was amazing her large hair didn't fall in it.

"Morning" Rapunzel said in her usual chirpy voice, something Kristoff was finding took some getting used to. She'd apparently finished her breakfast since there was an empty plate, bare apart from a few crumbs. Pascal, the chameleon that seemed to follow her everywhere was perched on her shoulder, looking at Kristoff between what he thought were narrowed eyes. Could a chameleon even narrow its eyes?

There was a loud thump above the dining room making the crystal chandelier shake, followed by a feminine voice stringing together a chain of very unfeminine curses.

"Well Anna's awake" Kristoff said as he sat down, grabbing the nearest carrot he saw to try and stifle the smile on his face and the growl from his stomach. There was a collective laugh through the dinning room, everyone thoroughly amused by the clumsy routine that was the princess. If you got through a day in Arendelle's castle without seeing the princess fall over at least twice, it truly was a dull affair.

"Morning everyone" Said a regal voice and all heads turned to see Elsa walking into the dinning room, a small white blob with sticks for arms and a carrot for a nose following after.

"Hi, I'm Olaf, and I like warm hugs" the snow man said, waving at the occupants of the room. Every one, excluding Kristoff and Elsa, stared at the snowman with wide eyes, none of them trusting themselves to speak. "What?" he said in response to everyone shocked glances "is there something on my face" he said patting his snowy face and nose.

This was too much for Merida who spat her drink out with shock, drenching Pascal in orange juice, turning the little creaturei bright amber colour.

"What's yer talkin snowman" she said with her heavy accent. She was pointing at Olaf with the tip of her bow, Olaf in response looked at the contraption with extreme interest "am I the only one that sees it?" Elsa gave one of her rare giggles, resulting in a chilling breeze flowing through the room, only Elsa didn't notice while the other shivered involuntarily.

"Elsa built me" he said proudly, looking at Elsa with his shinny coal eyes. "Now who's the carrot top?" he whispered to Elsa, but whispering to Olaf was shouting to a normal person and Merida narrowed her eyes at him in response.

"That's Merida" Elsa replied, trying to hide her laughter, cutting the scottish princess off before she said something very un-ladylike. Anna may not of been able to make the Queen laugh anymore but the funny little snowman never failed.

"Okay" Olaf said thoughtfully "And the frog?" he said indicating to Pascal who made a disapproving squeak.

"Chameleon" Rapunzel argued at the little white man "And his names Pascal" she crossed her arms across her chest, Pascal mimicking her movements, his skin back to the noraml grassy green.

"Anyway, has Ignis been down this morning?" Elsa asked, looking at all the blank faces gazing back at her.

"Who's Ignis" Olaf asked, raising his little stick arm in the air and raising it like an eager student.

"Ignis is a guest here" she said, addressing everyone and hoping they got the hint. "But she likes to be left alone, so stay away from her Olaf" The little snowman nodded eagerly at Elsa and with a mock salute marched out of the room.

"Well I'm going hunting" Merida announced, raising from her seat and racing towards the entrance hall where she caught Anna falling down the last step. Elsa shook her head, smiling at her sisters antics before sitting down to help herself to break fast, all worries of the day ahead floating away on the chilling breeze she felt skim her shoulders.

* * *

Ignis was on the balcony staring out at Arendelle. The kingdom was already alive with people, the market was a busy place filled with people selling fruit, flowers and Ignis is sure she saw someone selling a goat.

More than once Ignis thought she saw a familiar face, someone she recognized by a flash of blonde hair or a flicker of red, but it always turned out to be a laughing child or an old man leaning on a barrel of fish.

The forest fire had long since ceased the memories of her outburst, the images still clear in Ignis's mind. The smoke was a distant memory now, the sky was back to crystal clear blue with a dotting of white clouds here and there, a stereotypical summers morning in Arendelle.

For the entire night Ignis had tossed an turned, her mind plagued with images of her loved ones burning alive, even the image of Rosalie in the fire hurt her and filled her with the gut wrenching guilt she'd long since forgotten. With a sigh she walked towards the end of her bed. Sometime during the night or maybe even early morning, a servant had brought her dress back. It was strange to look at it now, with the tattered skirts sewn up neater than she had ever accomplished, the apron white again, void of any strange markings or colours. how she longed for the beautiful gown or orange, yellows and red, to feel the flickering of the flames and the _swoosh_ of her skirts as they crackled and burned.

With a sigh she changed back into her normal clothes, letting the material tickle the tops of her ankles. Strangely it only occurred to her now that she had no shoes, having ditched the pretty black pumps in the forest fire the night before, her boots having been left at the farm.

Just as she began running a royal looking brush through her matted black hair, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in" Ignis said, trying to keep her voice light as she pulled on a pair of black gloves, presumably left by Elsa. The door opened and closed again but Ignis couldn't see anyone that had entered the room

"Hi" said a voice from thin air. "I'm Olaf, and I like Warm hugs" looking around the room Ignis's eyes finally fell on the small snowman stood by her door. She looked at him, her orange eyes wide and confused.

"You're a snowman" Ignis said, looking down at Olaf from where he stood three feet off the ground, his coal eyes large and expectant. She felt as thought she could of said something better, wittier maybe, something the old Ignis was more likely to say, but of all the strange things she believed in, talking snowman was not on the list.

"And you are?" he said gesturing in circles with his little stick arms. Ignis was taken aback for a second, confused as to the fact a snowman could talk, let alone be so pressing, almost rude towards her.

"Ignis" she said cautiously. "Listen little snowman, I suggest you leave me alone" Ignis said, looking at the little snow cloud constantly dropping snowflakes onto Olaf. "Like now"

"But Elsa wants to know why you aren't at break fast" he said sincerely, making Ignis feel increasingly uncomfortable.

"She sent you here?" Ignis asked disbelievingly.

"No, she told me to stay away from here" he said normally, like he hadn't realised his confession to his own disobedience.

"Well she was right to say that, my hugs are a few degrees above warm." Ignis said bluntly, turning away towards the balcony. She looked out again and saw the frizzy haired girl, Merida, riding a large black and white horse across the bridge that separated the castle from the kingdom.

She was vaguely aware the little snowman- Olaf- Was talking to her but she was too far gone into her own thoughts and discoveries to pay any attention. Looking closer she saw two figures crossing the bridge in the opposite direction. She only caught a flash of bright red hair and she was gone, pushing past Olaf and any other people that got in her way until she reached the courtyard that was already buzzing with people due to the open gates.

"Who are you?" Anna said, looking at the two people in the gate way. The taller of the two was leaning on the small red head, her taking most of their weight.

"Ignis" the girl exclaimed catching sight of the girl with the orange eyes. Anna stepped aside just as the second person collapsed, his legs crumbling beneath him as he landed on his front, his shaggy blonde hair dusted with soot.

"Cameron" Ignis shouted, running towards the boy. She crouched next to him, her gloved hands hovering over his body, not wanting to touch him knowing the damage she could cause, the damage she had already caused.

"Hey, Ignis" he breathed out, his voice was cracked and hoarse, his breathing hard and ragged. He opened his eyes for a second, the swirling grey of his eyes meeting the flickering orange of hers only for a second, before they closed again. There was a ghost of a smile before his face went slack and his body fell limp.


	5. Nightmares

"Come on Angus" Merida shouted as she rode up the meadow hill towards the forest. The wind was slapping against her face, reddening it with its onslaught, making her ginger hair an even bigger mess than before.

She whooped and cheered as Angus cleared a fallen log, her cloak whipping behind her, making strange flapping noises through the wind. Merida loved her new found freedom, the freedom invoked from her own defiance. She loved how she could feel the wind in her hair, warm and summery, so unlike the winds of Scotland, and to not feel contained within her Mothers boundaries, she was finally free to chase the winds and to touch the sky, to do whatever she saw fit.

Angus froze suddenly, the momentum of his run thrusting the horse so far forward that Merida nearly flew over the horses head.

"Angus!" Merida shouted, her heart thumping in her chest from the almost accident. "What yer playing at" she slowly looked up, pulling her hood off of her face, that's when she saw it. All around her was forest, but in front of her was a disaster zone. The grass was black and singed, with fallen trees and logs blackened by fire, scattered across the floor, some glowing orange with un-extinguished embers. Trees were blackened, a heavy scent of fire and smoke hung in the burnt leaves on the trees.

Merida was a strange girl, with a strong love for forests and nature, and to gaze upon this, the destruction caused by one girl was unbearable. The soot puffed up around her in a cloud as she jumped from her horses back, the indistinguishable crunch of dead plants sounding beneath her feet.

She placed a hand on the nearest tree, praying to anyone who would listen that this damage wasn't permanent; that something could still be done to salvage what Merida could tell was a once beautiful, thriving wood. She could see it in her minds eye, luscious green grass speckled with twigs and other forest clutter, clusters of bushes housing wild berries, birds chirping in the trees and flowers covering the floor in an array of different colours, blue and whites, purple and reds.

Angus reared; neighing in a way that Merida knew meant trouble. She snapped from her thoughts just in time to feel something extremely heavy knock her to the ground. Merida screamed. She could feel claws pinning her to the ground, gripping into her arms so hard she could feel the fabric of her dress rip and blood begin to pool over her new wounds.

She chanced a look, expecting to see a bear or a mountain lion or something like that, instead she was greeted by a black scaled reptile with giant yellow-green eyes with slits for pupils, its mouth filled with layers of razor sharp white teeth. She screamed again, struggling beneath the beast that held her pinned to the floor. She felt a gust of wind and realised that the beast had wings, giant scaled wings like a bats and was beating them as it panted heavily onto her face with breath that stank of rotting fish.

She screamed again, desperate for someone to hear her. Her heart was beating rapidly, threatening to break free from her chest. Tears were pricking the backs of her eyes as she felt the beast getting closer to her with its open jaws. Never in her life had Merida been so scared. She'd been attacked by bears, almost killed her own mother, but nothing could compare to this, to die by the jaws of a creature she couldn't even identify.

"Toothless!" said a voice, clearly a man; he sounded worried, urgent even as he shouted at what could only have been the beast "Get off her!" he shouted again. Merida wanted to cry with relief when the beast, now known as Toothless, released her.

Once free, she scrambled along the singed forest floor, desperate for an escape as the giant black beast retreated away from her. She felt hands on her shoulders and screamed, fighting against them to escape. Despite the strength of the hands holding her, Merida broke free. Instinctively, she pulled her bow from her back, her cloak long forgotten, and had and arrow poised to shoot before the attacker could get to a safe distance.

"Whoa" he said, holding his hands up defensively, almost like surrender. She could see the boy clearly now. He looked to be a few years older than her with a thick, choppy mop of dark brown hair. His skin was slightly tanned from too much time outside and his eyes were a deep, forest green. He was dressed in a strange kind of armour, all leather and metal with buckles holding it together. A helmet sat near his heavily booted foot and Merida couldn't stifle the gasp when she saw that instead of a foot, his right leg had been replaced by a strange metal contraption. "Can you put the bow down?" he asked his voice was calm and understanding, like somebody who was used to dealing with terrified girls.

"What is that thing" Merida said with her heavy Scottish accent, gesturing with the loaded arrow towards the large black reptile that was sat like dog and…sulking.

"That's only Toothless" the boy said with a kind smile. He was good looking boy, Merida noticed, but lacking the obscure arrogance that usually accompanied boys that looked good. Instead he seemed shy, almost like he didn't realise how attractive he was with his strongly muscled build and kind looking face.

"What is it?" Merida shouted back. She could feel tears falling down her face and cursed herself that she couldn't brush them away without dropping her weapon which seemed to be the only thing keeping the boy from setting the beast on her again.

"He's a dragon" the boy said like it was obvious, Merida choked on a sob. "Hey" he said softly, stepping closer to Merida with his strange metal foot. Sur her father had a leg missing but he had a wooden stump instead and he limped wherever he walked in quite an obvious way, this boy seemed oblivious to the fact he had a foot missing. "Please don't be scared, we're not going to hurt you"

He placed a gentle hand on Merida's boy and lowered it for her. She felt eh string go slack and the entire weapon fall to the. She tried edging away again but the boy wrapped his arms around her.

"Shhh" he said in her ear. "We're not going to hurt you Merida"

"How do yer know ma' name." she said, her face pressed against his chest feeling his heartbeat beneath the heavy metal armour he was wearing.

"You're Princess Merida, the girl who won her own hand" he said with a laugh "Who doesn't know you?" she looked up at him with teary blue eyes and saw that this boy wasn't the threat, the dragon was. "Come one, stand up, there you go" he said holding her elbow as he helped her to her feet. "Yesh" he whistled through his teeth. "That's quite the scratch"

Merida looked at her arms to see the dark green fabric soaked through with dark crimson blood where Toothless had pinned her. There were four scratches on either arm, one of which still seemed to be bleeding slightly.

"You sit there" the boy said, pointing to a large boulder with minimal soot and singe marks "And I'll fix you up"

"I'm fine, serious-"

"No arguments, Princess" he said with a kind smile, sort of smile that shone through, kind and warm, even in the coldest night. She managed a weak smile back and sat on the boulder as instructed.

"What are yer even doin' here?" Merida asked, looking at the boy while he applied crushed green leaves to her slashes. It was obvious from his clothing attire and his mode of transport that he wasn't a wedding guest, and his strange accent depicted that he wasn't from Arendelle either.

"I saw the fire from my home" he said gesturing west with his head "We all thought it was a dragon gone wild. But this is no dragons fire" he said looking at the destruction with a strange hint of fascination in his eyes.

"How can yer tell" Merida said to hide the wince from the pressure on her cut, hoping this boy didn't notice, by the apologetic look in his eyes it was fair to say he had.

"It's too beautiful" he said with a shrug. Merida looked at him with wide, confused eyes.

"Beautiful?" she choked out as he began wrapping a bandage around her right arm with surprisingly delicate hands.

"Yeah, it is. Once you look past the damage you begin the see the real picture." He said with a smile. "Like there" he pointed towards a tree trunk, singed and scarred with black soot, the leaves burnt to ash at the base. "Look past the damage, and what do you see?"

Merida looked long ad hard, but all she saw was black, the charred remains of what was once a beautiful tree. she strained her eyes, trying desperately to prve to herself this boy wasnt mad, that she wasnt mad for talking to him. Suddenly it hit her, the image beneath the destruction. She saw the patterns and swirls, how they looped back on themselves and around the tree, a merry dance of soot and ash.

"I see it" she said, barely above her whisper. The boy laughed quietly, his eyes spanning the scene the same way hers were. She looked at the grass, where before she saw a singed mess, she now saw the image, a beautiful image of stars all surrounding what looked like a giant flower, all the petals spiked and edgy like the stars around it. the image was surrounded by sparks and whirling smoke, all made from the same soot. "It's beautiful" she breathed.

"I told you it was" he said with a smile "no dragon can make this much beauty, its too precise, too elegant" Merida smiled at him, the way he was fascinated with the fire the same way she was fascinated with the forest. "Well princess, you're all fixed up" he said, standing back to his full height and extending a hand her way. She took it, her slim pale hands fitting into his large calloused one with ease. "Would you like a lift back home?" he asked kindly "It's the least I can do since Toothless scared your horse away"

They both looked back at the dragon which was curled up in the ash, his large eyes shut, and his face peaceful as he dozed in the shade.

"It alright, I'm Scottish, I'll manage" Merida said with a smile, strapping her bow and quiver back into its rightful place. She wrapped the thick cloak around her shoulders, clasping the bronze broach just below her throat. Turning to head back to castle, the Scottish princess stopped. She turned around and faced the boy with the fake leg and the pet dragon. "What's yer name" she asked, trying to calm the accent that made every one of her words sound harsh.

"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the third" he said proudly "but you can call me Hiccup" he added in a quiet, shyer voice. Merida smiled at him again before turning back towards the end of the forest, walking back towards Arendelle with bandages on her arms and a blush on her face.

* * *

"Let me see him!" Ignis had spent the better part of an hour saying the same words, her gloved fists smashing against Arendelle Castle's infirmary doors. With every punch the door sparked like a burning branch hitting the floor, singeing black handprints into the wood.

"Ignis" said a voice behind her, it was Eugene, the man who married Rapunzel "They said no" he sounded tired as he rubbed his closed eyes with his thumb and forefinger, a gesture so much like Christopher's she couldn't bare to look.

"I don't care what they said!" Ignis spat "I need to know he's alright" this received her a sigh from Eugene that quite clearly said 'I give up'.

They both looked up to the sound of a bolt lock moving, a heavy, scraping sound. The door opened revealing Princess Anna wearing her normal green dress, her hair tied in its two braids.

"Eugene, Rapunzel's going to stay with him, we're taking turns watching over him, seeing if he makes it tonight, you're after her"

"What about me?" Ignis half shouted, grabbing the princess's arm. "I want to help him" she said pleadingly.

"Haven't you done enough?" Anna said, she tried to soften her words with her kind blue eyes and apologetic face, but nothing could stop the sting it caused. "I'm sorry Ignis, Queens's orders" and with that Anna walked down the hallway, Eugene in tow, neither sparing a glance back at the fire starter.

Ignis felt wounded, she fell back against the wall, sliding down it slowly so she sat with her knee's to her chest on the floor. She suddenly felt the weight of every portraits eye on her, judging her and her ability, shunning her for what she couldn't control. She fisted her gloved hands in her hair, resisting the urge to scream as she felt the tears slip from her eyes. They sizzled for a second on her cheek before disappearing entirely with a miniscule puff of steam. She managed to stand up and leave in time before a tendril of black sand reached for her ankle.

* * *

She ran through the halls of the castle, not stopping for a single person who called out for her, castle guards and servants alike. Finally, she reached the outdoors, but Ignis didn't stop there, she continued to run, making an escape to the only place she might feel safe.

The smell hit her first, even in a royal castle the smell was the same. The stench that screamed the presence of living things. The stable was roomy, with an aisle running down the middle of two rows of stalls, the ceiling was far higher than necessary, with rafters of dark, almost black, wood.

Most of the stalls were occupied, with half doors engraved with the Arendelle crest, a flower with only three petals on a shield. The horses poked their heads over the half-doors, huffing and bucking their heads at the new intruder, but Ignis took no notice of them. Instead she walked over the back of the stable, the beady black eyes of every white mare and brown stallion, even of a large brown reindeer following her path.

Once she reached the pile of straw she stopped, ignoring the disgruntled sounds of the horses and the yaps of the stable boys dog, she collapsed, curling up on the straw the way she always used to.

She didn't know how long she was laying there, letting her tears sizzle on her pale cheeks, listening to the horses as they stamped their feet and chewed their hay, but the sunlight no longer flittered through the cracked ceiling.

With the sound of the horses heavy breathing, the starlight shinning through the stable windows and her tears still falling and sizzling on her face, Ignis fell into a fit full sleep. There was nothing but the sound of embers and the blaze of orange behind her eyelids as she slept, the screams of all the loved, swallowed by the crackling of the fires.

* * *

"Merida" the usually chirpy girl said. She slowly shut the door to the infirmary as quietly as she could before approaching the sleeping princess. "Merida" she said slowly poking the girl who currently sat on a chair next to the blonde boy's bed.

Each guest had agreed to take shifts in watching the boy, waiting for him to wake up, hoping he made it through the night. This was Rapunzel's second shift, three in the morning; Merida had been here since midnight. "Merida" she said this time louder and the girl bolted upright, wiping a trail of drool of her chin. "Your shifts over" Rapunzel was cautious, she still wasn't used to so many people and how different they all were. What one person loved, another hated, and it was very confusing. How was she to know whether Merida was angry when woken or merely grumpy like Eugene, maybe she would be happy to embrace a new day like Rapunzel did.

Merida regarded her with a sleepy head nod before rising in a very unladylike way and leaving the infirmary, the door slamming behind her. The boy didn't stir. Apparently Merida was grumpy when woken, she should note that down.

The sun princess took residence in the vacated chair, reaching for the boys hand as she did so. Everyone knew the fire had done this to him, there were burns on his arms, some of his hair was even singed to his head, not to mention the overwhelming stench of smoke following the boy like a lost puppy, just when you thought it was gone, it popped straight back again. That wasn't what was killing him though, that was the internal damage caused by the smoke, the fluid in his lungs that caused his breathing to make strange noises.

Someone had kindly cleaned the soot from his skin, and picked the ash from his blonde hair, it showed that the boy was a lot younger than Rapunzel initially thought. He was younger than 20, that was clear, too young for all this to be happening. Everyone was sure he wasn't going to make it; the damage was too far gone.

She rubbed soothing circles on the back of his hand with her thumb, absent-mindely humming a song she longed to forget. He twitched. Nothing more just a twitch, his finger bumping slightly against her palm.

"Oh my" Rapunzel said, jumping slightly out of her seat "Are you awake, can you hear me?" she said, leaning so far over the boy their noses were millimetres apart. She was met by the steely grey stare of his eyes. He coughed, the fluid in his lungs creating a horrid gurgling noise. "Do you want some water?" she asked hurriedly, grasping for the pitcher by his bed side. She held it out towards him, obviously unaware to how he couldn't move easily to drink it.

"I-Ig" he sputtered, his voice raw and painful when he tried to speak, his lips barely moving as they shaped the words. Rapunzel placed the water back down before grabbing his hand again, leaning over him as he tried to speak. "Ig-Igni" Rapunzel looked at him, her brows furrowed as she tried to determine what he was trying to say.

"Oh, urm…Oh-Ignis!" she exclaimed and the boy smiled. "Ignis, of course. She's why you came here isn't she?" to this the boy nodded in a way that could only have been painful since he winced. "You really care for her don't you" the boy nodded again resulting in a horrific cough erupting from his damaged lungs. Rapunzel had to stifle a gasp when she saw the blood bubbling up in the corner of his mouth. The princess of Corona may not be the smartest girl around, but she knew one thing, this boy wasn't making it through the night, and from the content, defeated look in his eyes, the boy knew this and he'd accepted it.

So she sat there, rubbing his hand, pouring drops of water down his hoarse and raw throat.

"W-When I was sick" the boy started after what felt like hours of silence "My mother would sing" Rapunzel smiled, her heart aching for the boy who wouldn't make it through the night.

"Would you like me to sing to you?" she asked lightly, trying not to let her voice catch on words and failing. He nodded slowly, a pained and exhausting gesture for him. She smiled again, before singing the first and only song that came to her mind, a song she sang on nothing but instinct.

_Flower, gleam and glow_

_Let your power shine_

A tear slipped down her cheek as she placed a cool cloth on his forehead to bring down his temperature. How Rapunzel hated this song, the song that was used to abuse her power, the power she so longed to use right now. but she knew she couldnt, no one could know about it. the soliders she healed were unconscious, ignorant to their surroundings, this boy wasnt so lucky.

_Make the clock reverse_

_Bring back what once was mine_

The boy continued to smile, his grey eyes closed as she sang, letting her words drag him into sleep. He wished it was Ignis here with him, singing him to sleep, rubbing his hand so comfortingly, healing and nursing him. He knew better than that though. Ignis was never one to sing, nor did she heal, Ignis was born to destroy, and the boy knew and accepted that of her, he loved her for who she was.

_Heal what has been hurt _

_Change the fates design_

Rapunzel let the tears flow freely now, feeling the pins and needles sensation coursing through her body as she sang. Somehow the room looked brighter, an insult she thought, to this boy. The boy who would never lay eyes upon the girl he came to see again. She placed a hand on his chest, stifling a gasp as she felt his breathing had stopped. Still she sang, her eyes closed as she finished the song the boy had wanted.

_Save what has been lost_

_Bring back what once was mine_

_What once was mine_

Everything was covered with a golden light once her eyes opened; the entire infirmary looked as though in daylight. Looking down at the boy's chest, Rapunzel saw the source of the glow. It was her, she was glowing, her normally pale skin was alight, and her eyes glowing like molten gold. The boys breathing started again, his once red and angry burns receding to a pale skin tone as the glow flowed from her hand into his chest.

When the room fell dark, Rapunzel sat back down. She smiled at the boy who was breathing once again, a smile still on his face from the healing song. Slowly, Rapunzel fell asleep her self, her dreams plagued by the images of her tower, of mother Gothel, of Eugene. She was asleep so quickly she didn't notice how her brown hair began to glow again, turning blonde.

* * *

"Aww" said a chilling voice in he shadows of the barn "look at her sleeping" Pitch's voice was mocking, the same tone of when he spoke to bunny when no one believed in him, superior and damn amused. "Jack, come look" the grey skinned man said, his golden eyes narrowing challengingly into the darkness.

"Pitch" he half shouted "leave her alone" Jack's voice was steady, strong even as he looked between the sleeping girl, a girl no older than his body's image, and the living embodiment of fear itself.

"Or what?" Pitch responded, his tone half amusement, half challenge as he reached a hand towards the sleeping girl. Her eyes were shut, her thick lashes leaving shadows of the moonlight on her face, but her eyelids twitched every few seconds, testimony to the agony of her dreams. Smoke rose from the straw clutched in her small hands, singeing the dead plant between her fingertips.

Pitch stopped, only millimetres from brushing a strand of hair away from her face. He snarled low in his throat, the feeling of Jack's staff imbedded in his spine.

"Fine" Pitch snarled "have it your way" he stood, pulling himself upright, his shadowy robes swishing in a non-existent breeze. His golden eyes burned in the darkness, meeting the cool gaze of the winter spirit. Jack's staff was pointed at Pitches head, in point blank range of hitting him.

Without warning, Pitched clapped his hands together, a deafening crack resounding from where his palms clashed. A gusting wind rushed through the barn, whipping straw and hay into the air, the blades of dead grass slapping against Jack's icy skin.

Then it was over. Nothing was different, everything looked slightly windswept from the blast, but nothing was broken or damaged, everything looked abnormally…normal.

"What did you do?" Jack demanded, gripping his crooked staff in two hands, edging closer to Pitch.

"Not me Jack" he replied with a crooked smirk, his golden eyes alive with joy and anticipation. A scream pierced the air, a feminine scream that chilled Jack's already frozen heart. "What did _you _do?" Jack's eyes were wide, filled with the worry and fear for only one person.

"Elsa!" he shouted, leaping into the air, catching onto the closest wind before disappearing into the darkness, following the shouts of his precious Snow Queen.

Pitched laughed to himself, turning once again to the sleeping girl, seeing the horror and fear the plagued her young mind as she slept.

"You and me, Ignis" he said, reaching towards her hair once again. "We don't have that problem, do we?" his hand brushed the strand away and Ignis's eyed flew open, her hands thrown in front of her, crackling like a campfire's flames.

"Who are you!" she demanded, her eyes wide and afraid, Pitch relished the feeling.

"I'm here to help you" he replied coolly, his hands clasped in front of him.

"I don't need help" she spat back, bringing herself to her feet, seeming not to notice the smoke that floated from where she had laid moments ago. Pitch clucked his tongue, swirling his hand casually next too his ear he allowed the rich black sand to pool there.

"Oh Ignis" he said, his voice chastening, like a parent talking to child. "We both know that's a lie" the sand took its chilling form and Ignis stared on in horror. It was her, in the barn, surrounded by what she once called her family.

No sound came from the sand but Ignis knew the scene too well to need any. A larger man was pointing at the sand version of her, the others following suit, some throwing their hands up in exasperation. She watched as the sand formed flames and her figure disappeared. She watched as one by one the rest of the sand fell, crumbling into nothingness before exploding, showering her pale face in black, scratchy powder.

Ignis didn't know she was on the floor, clutching her head in her gloves until she felt the pressure of hands on her shoulders. She looked up, ignoring the sizzling of tears on her cheeks as her orange eyes met the dazzling gold of the strange mans.

"W-who are you?" she stammered out, her voice slightly choked by tears. "And what do you want?"

"It doesn't matter who I am, Ignis" he said, his voice soft, almost caring, contrasting greatly with the chilling feeling that fell over Ignis when she was in his presence. "All that matters is teaching you how to control this, this gift of yours."

"It's not a-" Ignis began, only to be shushed by this strange, grey skinned man, with eyes like molten gold and hair as dark as the night.

"You need me, Ignis" he said, his voice colder than before, yet soothing towards her. "You need to learn to control yourself." He stood up then, bringing himself up to his full height, towering over her. He twirled his hand again, the sand forming an instant image. "Do you really want to hurt anyone else?"

Ignis stared at the image, captivated by the how the sand created his face, the soft features of his eyes, and the strength of his cheekbones, the strong jaw and scruffy hair. Even in black sand she knew Cameron's face. She reached a pale hand forward, so as to touch his cheek, caress what she knew would be soft, stubly skin. If she couldn't have the real thing, this would have to do.

Before her fingertips even grazed the surface, Pitch crushed his hand into a fist, the sand falling like rain at Ignis's feet. Her body fell back again, her skirts falling around her bent knee's on the floor.

"I can help you, Ignis" he said, his voice felt like it came from over her shoulder, but she could see with her own eyes that Pitch stood above her now, his slim, grey hand reaching forward for her, waiting for her to take hold. Could she really control this? Was she finally going to be free? "Take my hand, girl" and without another thought of the people she'd lost, no thought of Cameron, the boy she cared for, slowly dying in a place so far from home, she thought of only one thing as she grabbed Pitch Black's chilling grey hands. Freedom.

* * *

Elsa was screaming, she knew she was, her throat was raw and her vision blurred, but she couldn't stop. She felt itchy, like her skin was crawling, she felt the weighted gaze of non existent things, the pressure ensued by monsters in the dark.

The entire room was frozen over, every surface, every wall. A light dusting of snow fell from the ceiling, landing around her as she sat, knee's to her chest on her bed.

" Conceal" she whispered to herself, rocking lightly on the bed. "Don't feel" she could feel tears pricking her eyes, the images of her kingdom, engulfed in nothing but flames, of stepping over Anna, or Kristoff or Rapunzel's, or any ones body, the skin black and charred. "Don't let it show" she clamped her eyes shut, feeling the tears slip through the gap, freezing like diamonds on her cheek, falling with a _clink _on the floor.

Despite herself, she shivered. Queen Elsa knew a threat when she saw one, and this girl, Ignis, was definitely a threat. It was one thing to have uncontrollable powers, Elsa knew that. But to cause such chaos and destruction, this could only end badly.

How long had Elsa been afraid of this girl, how long had the Queen dreamed of the fire? Of the flames and the death, nothing but red and black to be seen. These dreams came every night, every single night, without fail, the girl hadnt even been here a week.

And they were followed by a feeling of utter peace, like nothing could touch her, a feeling of safety Elsa had never known. She never knew where the feeling came from, or why it hit her so suddenly, nor did she know why she never looked into it. Instead she fell into it, letting it wrap its arms around her, allowing her to sleep once again.

She felt it now, the slight weight against her slim frame, a wintery breeze, fluttering the loose hairs of her braid, the feeling of safety and serenity. But Elsa knew this wasn't enough. She didn't need safety, she needed security, she needed to know that her kingdom and all the people she loved were safe, she needed…

"A miracle" she said to herself, voice lower than a whisper, a voice only she could hear. "I need a miracle" she breathed deeply, inhaling the strange, mystical scent that followed her peace and tranquillity, the scent she never could put her finger on.

She stood then, the calming feel dropping from her body like a heavy robe as she strode onto the balcony. The summer air was cool, warmer than the icy prison of her room. Her feet were bare beneath her white gown, the fabric floating lighter than air in the breeze. She didn't feel the cold, Elsa never had, ever since she was a child, but for some reason, she felt it now. She felt an absence, something was missing, something she had moments ago.

Her cerulean gaze fell upon the moon, the shinning coin of silver in the starless sky. Maybe it was in her sleep deprived head, but Elsa always thought the moon shone brighter when she looked at it.

"Send me a miracle" she said into the night air, her breath not puffing like smoke the way everyone else's would, the way hers should. "I'm about ready to believe anything" she said, her head dropping defeated, her arms crossed as her elbows leant against the should-be-cold stone of the balcony railing.

"Then believe in me" Elsa's head snapped up. The voice, a voice somehow familiar, yet so distant in her mind. It was sad, defeated almost but certainly male. Elsa turned slowly, her head peering over her white shoulder to her balcony doors.

Standing, his shoulder leant against the door frame, both hands around a large wooden staff, was a boy. He was looking to the floor, his ice white hair, even whiter than her own was falling over his face, shrouding his eyes from view. He wore a blue, hooded jumper, the edges trimmed with the swirling patterns of frost, his brown trousers only reaching his calf before revealing skin whiter than her own, and bare feet.

With a sigh, the boy looked up, revealing his handsome, angular face, his light blue eyes shimmering like water in the moonlight. He looked at her, his face sad, like he'd lost something, something dear to him, something never to be replaced. Leaning his staff against the door, he walked towards Elsa, his feet making no sound as they touched the stone floor.

He didn't seem to notice Elsa's shocked, frozen expression, instead he continued to walk closer, until he was centimetres away from her, Elsa was sure she should feel his breath tickling her face from this distance, but he didn't seem to be breathing, not properly any way. Elsa didn't realise his hand was on her cheek until the chill of his skin seeped into her own, the same chill she'd felt so many times before.

The queen knew she should pull away; that she should regain some of her regal thinking, but all rational thought was gone. She was lost, captivated by the feeling of peace and serenity, the unidentifiable scent, the chilling breeze. He closed his eyes, pressing his cool forehead against her own.

"Please, believe in me" his voice wasn't even a whisper, but Elsa felt, as well as heard his words. His voice tickled her ears like the breeze that made the icicles sing, the wind that rustled frosted leaves, and the voice that spoke of all things winter.

"Jace Frost" Elsa breathed, a childhood full of isolation pouring into her mind, filling it with nothing but pictures, fragments of writing, the story of Jack Frost.

The boys eyes flew open, his light blue gaze locking with her own.

"Are you talking to me?" he said, his voice hopefully and scared, his forehead still touching hers.

"You're Jack Frost" Elsa tried to keep the fear and wonder from her voice, tried to keep her tone steady, and failing.

"You see me!" Jack cupped Elsa face in his hands, his face stretched into the lightest, fullest smile Elsa had ever seen. "You actually see me" he wrapped his arms around Elsa's slim shoulders, placing his face in the crook of her neck, all the while she stood frozen, not knowing what to doo or what to say.

She'd dreamed of Jack Frost as a child, wished upon every shooting star that one day he'd save her that he'd teach her what to do and together they'd be the guardians of winter. Of course in those dreams Jack Frost was a lot older, a father figure almost, not this, not a boy.

"You're younger than I expected" she finally breathed out, a slightly disbelieving laugh slipping from her lips. He pulled back, letting her go with his hands, but no his eyes. His eyes remained locked with hers, gazing at her in a way Elsa had never experienced.

"You really see me" he said, looking at Elsa with nothing but pure admiration.

"I believe in you" now Elsa was smiling, her eyes brimming with tears. She didn't know why she wanted to cry, maybe it was her childhood memories overwhelming her, maybe it was knowing she wasn't alone, maybe she was just relieved to not be lonely anymore.

She reached out a hand, her slim fingers reaching towards Jack's cheek, but never touching it. Wrapping his hand around her own, relishing in the shivers he felt from her cool, living touch, Jack placed the Queens hand on his cheek. She smiled, another amazed laugh slipping through her lips.

"All that time" she breathed, her words barely whispering "It was you" she smiled again, a sweet smile that barely touched her face, but was there. "It was you all along. You've been there"

"I've always been there" he replied, his eyes softer than the guardian thought they'd ever been. But here she was, his winter angel, and she could see him. The love of his life finally knew he existed.

"But you were a story" she said with a confused smile, her eyes not leaving his. "I have so many questions" she said, the thought of learning to control her powers filling her mind, the hope of not being a danger.

"Not tonight" he said gently, his hand still holding hers to his cheek, his eyes drinking her in. "Tonight you sleep" Elsa froze, her hand falling from Jacks cheek. The images, the flashes the nightmares, every single one was coming back. Not again, Elsa couldn't do that again, not tonght at least. "Hey" Jack said, lifting her chin so his eyes met hers "Its okay" he said.

"Don't leave me" she said, gripping the front of his jumper, her fingers adding more ice patterns to the blue cotton.

"I'm not going anywhere now" he said, placing his hands over hers "But you need to sleep, I'll protect you" after a quizzical look, Elsa nodded, letting go of Jack before reluctantly climbing into her bed. Within moments the Queen was asleep.

Jack spent the rest of that night sat in a chair by the Queen's bed, watching over her, keeping the nightmares at bay, all the while letting his fingers wander across the front of his jumper, his cold finger tips skimming the cemtrical ice patterns, the patterns that spoke louder than any of her words could. He heard it through the tips of his fingers, four little words: I believe in you.

**This was a very long update i know, but i couldnt find a good enough place to end it, i thought here was nice :)**

**please reveiw! **


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